You said everything but possibly the biggest culprit.
The actual scope.
Trust me...I was there before.
Chasing a flyer for a year or more and checked everything. Reinventing the wheel.
I just couldn't/wouldn't acknowledge that possibly the scope is messed up.
It has to be everything but...
Since I posted this originally...
I've brought myself up to speed in the optic world of present day.
At one time I was employed deep in the industry and knew optics better than the back of my hand.
I found out...NF are all made in Japan today or nearly all of them.
I can't tell you which NF...
30-378
US869 powder
GM215M primer
WBY brass
4 bullets
168 gr Hornady ELD-M
168 gr Nosler Ballistic silvertip
168 gr Speer HPBT Match
180 gr Nosler Ballistic silvertip
Thank you!!
I get on a soap box about that...
How on earth did we ever shoot before powders started saying "impervious to weather changes "
"Less affected by weather"
If it's trendy shooters will latch on to it with a death grip.
You'd think powders from yesterday like IMR 4350 or Winchester 760 are...
Yeah the norm I've found is .001-.003 maybe with an occasional. 004-.005 in there but not often.
Mostly .001-.003 tolerance.
That said there is an easy way to check all this out.
Load up 6 of your closest ogive measured bullets (if they exist)and go shoot them.
If still getting a wild...
Something else I want to tell you...
That comparator tool is great...however...
It's very easy to get erratic readings if it's not set up right and if your bullet is the slightest bit cocked in there.
I'm not questioning your caliper measuring prowess but just thinking of all possibke things...
You have something else wrong.
That's my feeling from your description.
100 yards is not that far. To have a flyer that far off ...@ 100 yards...
It's more than those bullets.
I had a nearly identical situation with a rifle.
3 shot group...2 very close, 1 several inches out.
I chased...
This statement was dead on two-three decades ago.
Barnes are as good as any other top bullet out there.
Any rifle can like bullet A over bullet B and that's just how that is but to say Barnes will have you smiling or chasing your tail more than other bullets is not being fair.
At one...
This.
And..
Just my opinion but the hot and cold thing get seriously over blown.
To each their own but there is heat and then there is real HEAT...which bolt guns won't/can't see.
Automatic heat will have an impact which bolt guns simply cant get that hot.
Fouling is a huge ordeal.
some...
Maybe but it's all relative.
The alternative...cost of factory ammo with premium bullets....
Fuhgetaboutit
If you can even find it..
Winchester Supreme as example.
Hilarious...
Price and availability.
Box of 20 ballistic silvertip 180 gr
300WSM...
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah...
Whatever.
Still...
I am way early in the testing thing out phase and while two pieces aren't do or die...
it's also a part of learning this new weapon and this caliber...
thus i am curious if trimming an extra 20 thousandths off the neck making up for the extra .020 from head to belt would work.
I am going to...